Ramayana

Who Is Who in the Ramayana

Thirty-two important characters, grouped by family and place. Tap a picture to read their full story, their parents and family, and what we can learn from them.

32 characters

The royal family of Ayodhya

Illustration of King Dasharatha, an old king with a white beard, a golden crown and royal robes, seated on his throne in Ayodhya

Dasharatha

The truthful king of Ayodhya

King of Ayodhya and father of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna, who kept his word to Kaikeyi and died of grief for Rama.

Did not fight
Illustration of Queen Kaushalya, a gentle older queen in a white and gold sari, holding a small lamp and raising her hand in blessing

Kaushalya

The gentle mother of Rama

The eldest queen of King Dasharatha and mother of Rama, remembered for her patience, her faith and her loving blessings.

Did not fight
Illustration of Queen Kaikeyi, a proud young queen in rich pink and gold robes, seated in a palace chamber with her jewels laid aside

Kaikeyi

The queen of the two boons

The youngest and dearest queen of Dasharatha and mother of Bharata, whose two boons sent Rama into exile for fourteen years.

Did not fight
Illustration of Queen Sumitra, a calm queen in a yellow and gold sari, placing her hand on the head of the young Lakshmana in blessing

Sumitra

The wise mother of loyal sons

Queen of Dasharatha and mother of the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna, who sent Lakshmana to serve Rama with a famous blessing.

Did not fight
Illustration of Rama, a dark-complexioned young prince with long arms, a calm smile and a golden crown, holding a great bow against a green forest background

Rama

The prince who lived by dharma

The eldest son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya, husband of Sita, who gave up a throne to keep his father’s word and defeated Ravana to bring Sita home.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Sita, a graceful young woman in a pink and gold sari with flowers in her hair, holding a lotus beside a furrow in a green field

Sita

Daughter of the Earth, Rama’s faithful queen

Daughter of King Janaka, found in the earth of a ploughed field, and wife of Rama, who stayed true to him through exile, captivity in Lanka and her final return to the Earth.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Lakshmana, a fair young warrior prince with a bow and a quiver of arrows, standing alert on guard before a leaf hut in the forest

Lakshmana

Rama’s ever-faithful younger brother

Son of King Dasharatha and Queen Sumitra, who left everything to follow Rama into exile, guarded Rama and Sita for fourteen years and killed Indrajit in the war of Lanka.

Rama’s side
Bharata in bark clothes and matted hair, seated humbly beside a throne on which Rama’s golden sandals rest under a royal umbrella.

Bharata

The brother who ruled for Rama

Son of Dasharatha and Kaikeyi, who refused the throne won for him and ruled Ayodhya for fourteen years in Rama’s name, with Rama’s sandals on the throne.

Did not fight
Shatrughna, a young prince in royal dress, standing at a city gate on the bank of the Yamuna with a shining divine arrow fitted to his bow.

Shatrughna

The quiet brother who defeated Lavana

Youngest son of Dasharatha, twin of Lakshmana and constant companion of Bharata, who later defeated the rakshasa Lavana and founded the city of Madhura.

Did not fight
Illustration of Manthara, an old bent maidservant in a plain grey sari, whispering beside a palace pillar

Manthara

The maid who turned a queen’s heart

Kaikeyi’s old maid from Kekaya, whose bitter advice on the eve of the coronation led to Rama’s exile.

Did not fight
The twin boys Lava and Kusha, dressed as young hermits, singing with a stringed instrument before King Rama in a great sacrificial hall.

Lava and Kusha

The twin singers of the Ramayana

The twin sons of Rama and Sita, born in Valmiki’s ashram, who were the first to sing the Ramayana and sang it before their own father.

Did not fight

Sages and kings

The sage Valmiki, white-bearded and dressed in bark clothes, seated by the river Tamasa watching a pair of krauncha birds, with a palm-leaf manuscript beside him.

Valmiki

The first poet, author of the Ramayana

The sage who composed the Ramayana, the first poem, gave Sita shelter in his ashram and taught the story to her sons Lava and Kusha.

Did not fight
The sage Vashishtha with a long white beard, holding his sacred staff, seated in a peaceful ashram beside a gentle white cow.

Vashishtha

The royal guru of Rama’s family

The great sage and family priest of the Ikshvaku kings, who named the four princes, guided King Dasharatha and crowned Rama king of Ayodhya.

Did not fight
Illustration of the sage Vishvamitra, a tall ascetic with a white beard, matted hair and saffron robes, holding a staff, with glowing divine weapons behind him

Vishvamitra

The king who became a brahmarishi

A mighty king who became a brahmarishi through thousands of years of penance, and who took young Rama and Lakshmana to the forest and gave them divine weapons.

Did not fight
Illustration of King Janaka, a dignified king with a grey beard, a golden crown and green robes, standing beside the great bow of Shiva

Janaka

The righteous king of Mithila

The wise king of Mithila who found Sita in a furrow of the earth and gave her in marriage to Rama after Rama broke Shiva’s bow.

Did not fight
Illustration of Ahalya, a radiant woman in simple white robes standing with folded hands in a quiet forest ashram, glowing softly like a flame

Ahalya

The wife of Gautama, freed by Rama

The wife of the sage Gautama who, after a grave mistake, did long penance unseen by all and was set free when Rama came to her ashram.

Did not fight

Friends in the forest

Illustration of Guha, a strong forest king with a simple crown of leaves and a bow, standing beside a boat on the bank of the Ganga

Guha

King of the Nishadas, Rama’s friend

The king of the Nishadas at Shringaverapura on the Ganga, a dear friend of Rama who welcomed him at the start of the exile and helped him cross the river.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Jatayu, a huge old vulture with golden-brown feathers and wide outstretched wings, flying bravely to block Ravana’s chariot in the sky

Jatayu

The brave old king of vultures

The aged king of the vultures and a friend of Dasharatha, who fought Ravana to save Sita and gave his life in the attempt.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Shabari, an elderly woman ascetic with silver matted hair and bark garments, welcoming Rama and Lakshmana with a basket of forest fruits at her ashram by a lake

Shabari

The devoted ascetic of Matanga’s ashram

A holy woman ascetic who served the sages of Matanga’s ashram near Lake Pampa and waited faithfully to welcome Rama as her guest.

Rama’s side

The vanaras of Kishkindha

Illustration of Hanuman, a strong vanara with a golden face and a gentle, devoted expression, kneeling with folded hands and Rama’s ring in his palm

Hanuman

The devoted messenger of Rama

Son of the wind god, minister of Sugriva and Rama’s most devoted servant, who leapt across the ocean, found Sita and served Rama all his life.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Sugriva, a golden-brown vanara king wearing a crown and a garland, standing beside a sacred fire with folded hands

Sugriva

The vanara king, Rama’s friend

Younger brother of Vali and king of Kishkindha, who made a friendship with Rama before the sacred fire and sent his vanara army to find Sita.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Vali, a powerful vanara king with a golden garland on his chest, standing proudly at the gate of Kishkindha

Vali

The mighty king of Kishkindha

The powerful vanara king of Kishkindha, son of Indra’s power and elder brother of Sugriva, who fell to Rama’s arrow.

Did not fight
Illustration of Queen Tara, a graceful vanara queen in royal ornaments, standing at the palace door of Kishkindha with a calm, thoughtful face

Tara

The wise queen of Kishkindha

The wise wife of Vali and mother of Angada, who gave good advice, mourned Vali deeply and later calmed Lakshmana’s anger.

Did not fight
Illustration of Angada, a young vanara prince with golden armlets, standing fearlessly in Ravana’s court with one hand raised as he delivers Rama’s message

Angada

The brave young prince of Kishkindha

Son of Vali and Tara, the young prince of Kishkindha, who led the southern search party and carried Rama’s message to Ravana’s court.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Jambavan, a large, white-bearded old bear king with a kind, wise face, resting his hand on Hanuman’s shoulder by the ocean shore

Jambavan

The wise old king of bears

The ancient and wise king of the bears, who reminded Hanuman of his strength and guided Rama’s army with good advice.

Rama’s side

Ravana and Lanka

Illustration of Ravana, a powerful king with ten crowned heads and many arms, in dark red and gold royal robes, holding a sword before the golden towers of Lanka

Ravana

The ten-headed king of Lanka

The mighty and learned king of the rakshasas who carried Sita away to Lanka and fell in battle to Rama’s arrow.

Ravana’s side
Illustration of Queen Mandodari, a graceful woman in a violet and gold sari with fine jewellery, standing sadly in a palace hall of Lanka

Mandodari

The wise queen of Lanka

The chief queen of Ravana and mother of Indrajit, the daughter of the danava architect Maya, remembered for her grief and wisdom at Ravana’s fall.

Ravana’s side
Illustration of Kumbhakarna, a gigantic rakshasa warrior with a dark body, broad shoulders and a crown, holding a huge iron spear beside the walls of Lanka

Kumbhakarna

The giant who slept for months

Ravana’s gigantic younger brother who slept for long months at a time, told Ravana he was wrong, and still fought and died for him.

Ravana’s side
Illustration of Vibhishana, a calm rakshasa prince in blue and white robes with a gentle face, folding his hands in respect beside the ocean

Vibhishana

The righteous brother of Ravana

Ravana’s youngest brother, who always followed dharma, left Lanka when Ravana refused to return Sita, took refuge with Rama and became king of Lanka.

Rama’s side
Illustration of Indrajit, a young rakshasa prince in dark armour with a bow, riding a chariot through storm clouds lit by lightning

Indrajit (Meghanada)

The conqueror of Indra

Ravana’s eldest son, a master of magic and illusion who once captured Indra, bound Rama and Lakshmana in battle, and was finally killed by Lakshmana.

Ravana’s side
Illustration of Shurpanakha, a tall rakshasa woman in green and grey clothes with long nails and wild hair, walking through the Dandaka forest

Shurpanakha

Ravana’s sister in the forest

The rakshasa sister of Ravana whose meeting with Rama and Lakshmana at Panchavati led to the war of Janasthana and to Ravana’s taking of Sita.

Ravana’s side
Illustration of a shining golden deer with silver spots and jewelled antlers in a forest, with the shadow of the rakshasa Maricha behind it

Maricha

The rakshasa of the golden deer

The son of Tataka who was thrown into the sea by Rama’s arrow, warned Ravana against taking Sita, and was forced to become the golden deer.

Ravana’s side

Retold from the Ramayana of Sage Valmiki. Later Ramayanas and regional traditions tell some details differently. Illustrations are artistic.